A sample of the local news coverage of the 2010 Heart Attack protests provides a telling look at Vancouver media.

We traverse the spectrum of quality and perspective:

Metro News: Young women charged with assaulting officer during protest

“They dressed like terrorists, putting fear in people,” Tanner said. “There should be a place for protesters, but it should be done in a more civilized way.”

Reading this, I wonder why the Metro doesn’t just eliminate whatever writing staff they have left and post the VPD media releases verbatim? The only notable difference is a collection of forgettable quotes, including the obligatory ‘protesters have rights too’ toss-away.

*barf*

The Vancouver Sun: Seven people arrested in police protests

“I believe that everybody has the right to protest and it’s unfortunate that property gets damaged by some of the protesters,” said Rich Gorman, the regional vice-president of The Bay.

Peppered with measured words from the VPD, Rich Gorman, Gregor Robertson, Gordon Campbell and a single protester who condemns the acts of vandalism, The Sun’s angle is clear, and as a nod to the winning formula employed at Metro News, the final sentence is the only reference to an opposing view: a link to a Youtube video shot by protestors.

CTV News: First day of Olympics marred by violence

“People can choose the tactics that they like,” she said, saying police were responsible for most of the violence.

The first article I found that actually quoted an Olympic Resistance Network spokesperson. I can’t help but wonder if she gets the space because she presents so poorly.

The article itself remains focused on the arrests and damage and perpetrators of violence, but CTV also presents a look at what I consider one of the most interesting angles: Who are the Anarchists?

If it wasn’t immediately clear in the original story, CTV doesn’t appear to hold them in very high regard.

The Tyee: Arrests, Beatings as Saturday Protest Turns Violent

Ryan Lundy, a non affiliated photographer who came to document the event, was hit several times. “A cop came behind me and smacked me in the groin with his baton. I was hit from behind with a shield. I went down to the ground. Two cops hit me about three times,” he said.

An objective, first-person account of Saturday’s protests. Geoff Dembicki had the grapes and good sense to actually get out there and watch it all happen, and he relates it to us in a balanced and colourful act of journalism.

If you’re not familiar with the work of Geoff Demibicki or The Tyee, you probably should be.

The Georgia Straight: 2010 Heart Attack disrupts Vancouver on day two of Winter Olympics

“This is what democracy looks like!” protesters shouted as a hint of marijuana smoke wafted into the morning air.

Occasionally The Straight reminds us why it got so damned popular in the first place: an honest and informative first-person account of the protests, by Carlito Pablo.

He captures the good and the bad and the absurd in one balanced story — my vote for the best in local coverage.

Vancouver Media Co-Op: Corporate Heart Attack displays growing solidarity

In a bittersweet comment that is heavy in truth, he states that “most people know shits pretty fucked up out there and just don’t feel like it’s their responsibility. It’s just not good enough. Things won’t get better until those people start waking up.”

And inevitably we arrive at Vancouver Media Co-Op- the yin to Metro News’ yang.

It’s the center of propaganda for the protest movement and provides a useful, if glaringly biased, perspective.

Absent from all their discussion and coverage though, is a cohesive picture as to why any windows were smashed in the first place. Presumably the intention was to drum up media interest, and that was certainly achieved, but even Vancouver Co-Op seems more focused on the events than the message.

Perhaps it’s because for the many groups protesting the games, or using it as a platform to make their message heard, there is no one banner behind which they all agree to march.